Extending the Life of Copper Based Broadband

December 9, 2013

Today’s Sponsor

http://www.fecinc.com

Our Goals for Today …

• Put copper and fiber based broadband into context

• Outline and discuss technologies that are improving

copper based broadband performance

• Discuss practical steps for network planning that

includes copper and fiber

Today’s Featured Thought Leader

• Dean Mischke, Vice President, Finley Engineering

Copper Based Broadband in Context

Global View of Broadband

Source: Point Topic

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Extending the Life of Your Copper Plant

Presented by: Dean L. Mischke, P.E. V.P.

Finley Engineering Company

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http://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/moviespeechwallstreet.html

Gordon Gekko from the 1987 movie “Wall Street”

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“The point is, ladies and gentleman, that Fiber, for lack of a

better word, is good. Fiber is right, Fiber works. Fiber clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Fiber, in all of its forms; Fiber for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And Fiber, you mark my words, will not only save this Telephone Industry, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA. Thank you very much.”

An adaptation of the “Greed is Good” Speech given by Gordon Gekko in the

1987 movie “Wall Street”.

8

The Point Is…

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Fiber and Twisted Pair Plant

Public

Switched

Telephone

Network

Fiber Feeder TV

TV

BDLC

TV

Central Office

POTS Switch

TV

Up to 12,000 feet from DLC to Customer

20% of Route Miles

80% of Route Miles

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• We still have a lot of it

• Approximately 80% of most Telephone Company’s route miles are still copper

• Most Telephone Companies have maintained their copper plant so it is still in pretty good condition

• Fairly simple to upgrade

• Broadband Digital Loop Carrier Sites have reduced plant exhaust in many cases

• Vendors have developed cost effective small scale Broadband Digital Loop Carrier systems

• FTTP requires replacement of every inch of existing plant; In urban areas, the drop accounts for 50% of the route miles

Why Copper Plant?

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FCC Plan Goals • 4 Mbps down / 1 Mbps up actual data rates to all

homes

2015 • 50 Mbps down / 20 Mbps up actual data rates to

100 million homes

2020 • 100 Mbps down / 50 Mbps up actual data rates to

100 million homes

How Much Bandwidth is Enough?

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How Much Bandwidth is Enough ? Ranking of Broadband Adoption

http://www.techspot.com/news/52338-average-broadband-speed-in-the-us-up-28-south-korea-still-far-ahead.html

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• Peak Wireline Data Rates Reported

• Hong Kong: 57.5 Mbps

• South Korea: 49.2 Mbps

• United States: 32.7 Mbps

• Average Wireless Data Rate US: 4.5 Mbps

• Peak Wireless Data Rate US: 16.6 Mbps Data obtained from Akamai’s “State of the Internet” Published for the last Quarter of 2012 as reported by Jose Vilches for Techspot.com, April 24, 2013

How Much Bandwidth is Enough ? Broadband Adoption

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Many experts envision 100 Mbs to the customer within the next 5 years.

• As HDTV becomes the normal TV medium

• As 20-50 Mbs High Speed Internet becomes the norm to support:

• Multimedia Applications (i.e.. Online Gaming)

• Streaming Video (i.e. YouTube, Netflix, Apple TV)

Future Bandwidth Requirements

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• No back light

• Intense color resolution

• EVS Sports has completed trial broadcast using H.265 at 20Mbps

• Most content now filmed using 4K

What’s Next for Video ?

• LG & Samsung announced 55” OLED TV • 3/16” Thick • Weighs 16.5 lbs

• Supports 4K Ultra HD Resolution • 3840 x 2160 pixels as compared to 1920 by 1080 for HD

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Advancements in DSL Technology

Ongoing Research and Development • Major improvements still taking place for shorter

distances – 500’

• Vectoring, Bonding & Phantom Pairs

• Incremental Gains over 1000’

• Repeaters

• Vendors and chip manufacturers are still working to improve DSL technologies

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How Does xDSL Work

POTS Upstream

ADSL 2

VDSL2 Profile 12a

4kHz

Downstream

1.1MHz 2.2MHz 0.14MHz

ADSL 2+

POTS Up 1

0.276Hz

Dwn 2

3.75MHz

Dwn 1

5.2MHz

Up 2

8.5MHz 12MHz 17MHz 30MHz

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VDSL 2 and ADSL 2+ Loop Reach

• ADSL 2+ • 5 Mbs at 11000’ 24 AWG loops

• 10 Mbs over 8000’ 24 AWG loops

• VDSL 2 • 20 Mbs over 5000’ 24 AWG loops

• 50 Mbs over 3000’ 24 AWG loops

• 100 Mbs over 1000’ using Profile 17a

(Consult your Vendor for actual performance data)

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Pair Bonding

• Uses Multiple Pairs to provide additional bandwidth:

• Increase from 10 Mbps to 20 Mbs over 8000’ using ADSL 2+

• Increase from 60 Mbps to 80 Mbs over 3500’ using VDSL 2

• Requires Multiple ports in the DSLAM, Multiple Pairs to the Customer Premise and bonded modems at the customer premise

• It also works for as feeder transport technology using 8 Bonded Pairs to Provide 75 Mbs over 10 KFt to feed cabinet or small node sites

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DSL Vectoring

• Dynamic adjustment of transmit power levels to reduce crosstalk between adjacent pairs

• Allows for a 50% increase in DSL transmission speeds

• Unbundled loops with competitive providers may limit the use of Vectoring

0.276Hz 3.75MHz 5.2MHz 8.5MHz 12MHz 17MHz 30MHz

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xDSL Repeaters

• Used when there not enough pairs to accomplish pair bonding

• Rates and reaches can equal 2 pair bonded systems

• Repeaters are in the $250 range

• Need to be placed as close to the middle of the span as possible for greatest effect

• Typically powered from the Central Office. Some can work on 48 VDC

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Phantom Pairs

300 Mbs over 1300’ using 2 physical pairs and a 3rd “Phantom Pair”

• 1st pair provides 100 Mbs

• 2nd pair provides an additional 80 Mbs

• “Phantom Pair” provides another 50 Mbs

• Vectoring adds another 50% in bandwidth

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Next Generation DSL Technology

• Expands on VSDL 2 bandwidth from 30 MHz to 70 or

140 MHz

• Provides 500 Mbs on loops under 1000 feet

• Potential interference issues with FM broadcast, TV and

other existing radio services may limit deployments

• Suitable for Fiber to the Pedestal type deployments

• 2016 Deployment Timeframe

G.Fast

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DSL Rings

• DSL Rings technology combines the capabilities of VDSL2, DSL Bonding Resilient Packet Rings (RPR) technologies and add-drop multiplexers (ADM) in a collector ring of 2-16 houses to provide 400 Mbs

• Uses 20-25 Bonded pairs for Backhaul

Meg

ab

its

Per

Seco

nd

Megabits Per Second

Downstream Rate and Reach Comparison

(24 AWG. where applicable)

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Set Service Goals for your company • Without a goal, it will be easy to spend money that will be wasted

• New plant will be deployed that exceeds the bandwidth

requirements of the goals accomplished, leaving a stranded investment

• New plant will be inadequate to meet bandwidth required of the goals desired, resulting in duplication of expense to reinforce the network

• It is interesting to note that you do not need to decide on which

plant architecture you want to deploy today, only determine the services you want to provide, coverage area, and when they need to be implemented

Where to Start?

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Make sure that vectored pairs remain in the same binder group

throughout the entire path

Stay above the manufacturer’s minimum SNR, especially with video – ITU recommends minimum of 6 dB which may not be enough for video

– Minimize retrains

– Reduces intermittent problems with video

Additional xDSL lines in a cable/binder will impact all circuits so take

an active bandwidth management plan when adding more xDSL pairs

to a cable

Where possible, reduce upstream rates, especially if offering video

Look to place video on separate pairs and modems

Practical Steps to Take to Extend Copper

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• Lifetime of fiber is expected to be greater than copper

• “Unlimited” bandwidth capabilities suggest the network will not require upgrading when a new service is required

• Outside Interference is eliminated

• Maintenance is less, its new plant

• As the technology matures, better techniques are continuing to be developed for the constructing and maintaining of the distribution plant

Why Fiber?

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• Maximize your return on your existing investment

• Copper may still meet your immediate and short term needs

• There is still the need to migrate fiber closer to the subscriber

• Know your customer and their needs

• Without a plan of action, you will waste money

Why Copper ?

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Q & A

If you have not done so, please submit

your question.

Contact

Dean Mischke

Vice President

Finley Engineering

d.mischke@fecinc.com

715-930-7255